Well how is everything in Michigan and Petersburg? I don't suppose it is as warm as it is here. It is really hot here in Missouri. I can see the Mississippi river from here. Across the river is Ill. They have been having plenty of rain here but it hasn't rained since I have come here.
I have 7 days of processing and 18 day of drill. It use to take about 7 months to do it. Now we get it in 18 days. That is all the training we get. Then we will be shipped to some other field or over. They really drill you hard here to.
There are between 40,000 and 50,000 men here in camp tonight. I wish I could see someone I knew. I have made friends and everyone is friendly. We are camped in tents in what they call Pnenemonia (misspelled) Gulch. It is correctly named. Everyone has a cold and a J.B. cough. The air is very humid here. Clothes won't dry at all. There is plenty of shade though. Out of the Gulch it isn't so bad.
I wish I was back in Michigan so I could be around for the fourth but I won't be. Have you heard from Irene? I haven't received any letters here yet. I hope they start rolling in soon. It seems like a year since I came. It isn't a week till Sat. I wrote Cliff's tonight to. So both letters probably will be almost the same if you see them.
I wrote to Mother last night. How is she taking it that I am in the Army now? I hope she doesn't worry about me. I am even gaining weight but my big stomach is retreating to somewhere else. We get awlful good chow here. Pork chops, steaks, pie, ice cream, head lettuce salads, potatoes, pickles, olives, coffee, ice tea, milk and everything esle you can think of. All we want to eat to. Even 2nd and 3rd helpings.
They feed 12,000 persons in the mess hall where I eat and they are fed in one hours time. When you get K.P. duty you work for about 17 hours. I haven't been on it yet, and hope I don't. I was on it once in Fort Custer. It wasn't as bad there.
Well I guess I'll have to close for now. I can't think of much more to say. Write soon and tell me all of the happenings. Send pictures if you have taken any lately. I will get some taken soon. Well so long for now. I wish I could see you. Tell everybody I said hello. So long.
Bill
Background Information:
- I was not sure what a J.B. cough was until I read another letter referring to the soldiers at J.B. I concluded that a J.B. cough is a Jefferson Barracks cough.
- On the back of the envelope he wrote "Keep Em Flying". This is the first time he's written a message on the envelope.
The next posting will be on July 3rd.
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